Good afternoon, San Diego County leaders.

For just a moment, think about what it takes to turn a few drops of seawater into your favorite microbrew. It takes innovative technology, infrastructure, and engineering. It requires time, energy, and money. But the key to all of this – the most important factor in that extraordinary process – is people.

The second week in October is Water Professionals Appreciation Week, a time for us to recognize the important role of water industry professionals in ensuring a safe and reliable water supply in California. This is always one of my favorite weeks of the year, because the great people I work with every day get the recognition they so deserve.

It’s easy to take for granted the luxury of being able to turn on the tap at any hour of the day or night and have access to clean, fresh water. We’ve worked so hard to create a reliable water supply for our region that we can forget about what’s happening behind the scenes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

So let’s revisit that seawater to microbrew example. And let’s follow those drops of water from the Pacific Ocean to your pint glass. The team of people making that happen is truly our greatest asset, from the engineers who developed the technology and infrastructure required for making seawater drinkable to the maintenance workers who keep the infrastructure in good working order. Then, there are the financial experts who ensure fiscal viability for water agencies, along with the human resources professionals and information technology specialists who keep us functioning each and every day. And the list goes on.

Every one of these water industry professionals is critical to the health, vitality, and growth of our communities; in fact, it’s hard to believe that the Water Authority only has about 250 employees to support a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Our staff is especially critical in this hotter and drier climate characterized by extreme weather. It’s never been more important to amplify the often-invisible role our workers play in making sure our region continues to thrive.

This year’s theme for Water Professionals Appreciation Week is “Show water professionals some love.” So next time you’re enjoying your favorite microbrew or morning coffee, or even just washing your hands, I encourage you to offer some gratitude to the dedicated professionals working every day to deliver our most precious resource to our homes and businesses.

Dan Denham
General Manager
San Diego County Water Authority